Peak mobile bandwidth consumption per user is expected to increase 5-fold over the next 3 years, said a Ciena – sponsored report.
The report said average bandwidth consumption per mobile user is expected to increase 52 percent CAGR through 2018.
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The macro cell capacity needs of telecom operators will increase to 1.5 Gbps within 5 years from 260 Mbps.
Telecom network vendor Ciena suggests that a mobile backhaul solution supporting 10 Gbps to the macro cell tower will be vital to improve this projected bandwidth and better quality of experience to users. Supporting backhaul capacity needs will exceed 1 Gbps by 2018 – supported by the latest wireless standards such as LTE-Advanced and small cells.
Smartphone penetration will rise from 55 percent to 67 percent, and the resulting usage of over-the-top (OTT) entertainment applications on smartphones will account for 59 percent of this; largely due to video and continuous streaming.
Mobile peak usage times, those occurring between 9-10 pm, will increase by 71 percent, from seven minutes to 12 minutes in 2018. New initiatives such as OTT providers sponsor data packages such as those for streaming music will boost consumption. New 3G and 4G enabled tablets will contribute to the surge in traffic growth, increasing by 20 percent, said Ciena.
